The present invention relates generally to subject matter of previous commonly-owned applications and patents including U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,412,658; 6,622,064, 6,672,341; 6,615,881; D465,810; D461,080; 6,779,686; 6,883,561; D500,804 and D485,310 and Ser. No. 10/755,574 (filed Jan. 12, 2004), Ser. No. 10/848,273 (filed May 18, 2004), Ser. No. 10/274,514 (filed Oct. 18, 2002), 60/589,150 (filed Jul. 19, 2004) the contents of which are also incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
As addressed in the above applications and patent, historically certain industries, such as the retail point of sale cosmetics industry, has afforded consumers a broad variety of choices for colors (including tones, shades or hues) and effects. In the typical scenario, these products are pre-packaged according to a predetermined fixed amount of different colors or effects. The products are then ordinarily displayed to reveal a spectrum of a fixed number of colors. However, because of manufacturing and other practical limitations, point of sale displays only afford a finite number of selections for the consumer. Consequently, the consumer's choice of color will be limited by present availability or supply of a particular color choice, and also particularly by the specific colors chosen for sale in advance by the manufacturer. The consumer is afforded no practical opportunity to custom blend a color selection.
In view of the foregoing, a need has developed for a dispensing device and method adapted to provide customized product based upon user input, particularly employing a stand-alone apparatus at a retail point of sale, and even more particularly in a mass merchandising retail outlet, where real estate is typically scarce, it is difficult to permanently staff a dispensing apparatus with a technician for assisting a customer with a transaction, or both.